


Hold up, no, you didn't bow down

by 1975reasons



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Gryffindor Louis, M/M, Ravenclaw Niall, Slytherin Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-18 11:47:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10616283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1975reasons/pseuds/1975reasons
Summary: Louis Tomlinson was the Gryffindor golden boy, always managing to earn his house points and winning them any and all quidditch tournament he could get his team on. He was the picture of perfection and grace and he was deeply loved and admired by all his fellow students, house members or not.And then, of course, there was Harry Styles. The prettiest, most infuriating piece of work Slytherin had ever managed to produce since Professor Malfoy and that's saying something.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [larry_is_mine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/larry_is_mine/gifts).



“Gryffindor!”

From the time he heard that word come from the strangely animated mouth of the Sorting Hat, Louis Tomlinson had been living up to the expectations everyone (not-so) secretly holds of Gryffindor.  Louis was never afraid to try anything; he was the star keeper of the Quidditch team after trying out on a dare, and he had bested Filch while sneaking around the castle after bedtime on too many occasions to count.  Louis Tomlinson was literally the brochure boy of Gryffindor.  

And then there was Harry.  He was the one thing Louis wasn’t brave enough to face.  As the self-proclaimed “king” of Slytherin House, he was cunning, proud, and had a tongue sharper than a sword.  He also lit Louis’ insides on fire every time he caught a glance.

At first, he thought it was the butterbeer.  The first time they met, Louis was  a fourth year, and he’d been at a bit of a party in Hogsmeade with Niall, so he was buzzing.  He was screaming his lungs out to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and tripped off the “stage” (which was really just an old commonroom couch) right into Harry’s arms.  He felt like he’d been electrocuted, but so softly that it was almost relaxing.  That is, until he was thrown onto the soiled floor and looked up to see Harry Styles scowling down at him.  

“Who the fuck are you, Gryffindor?” Harry asked condescendingly, turning his nose up at the red and gold emblem on the fourth-year’s sweater.  

“I-I-I’m Louis.  Louis Tomlinson,” he managed to sputter out as he got up off the floor.

“So _you’re_ Louis Tomlinson?  Gryffindor _golden boy,_ _star_ Quidditch keeper, the most fancied fourth-year of them all, besides myself, of course?”  Louis swallowed hard and nodded a little too quickly.  “You seem right eager to put it in any boy who touches you, yeah?” Harry laughed snidely.  Louis was taken aback.

“I beg your pardon, Mr. Styles,” Louis snapped.  “I happen to have three or four butterbeers in me, and it took that many to make you look even the  _ least  _ bit attractive.”  It was a lie, but he had to put up a front.  He was supposed to be the most courageous boy at Hogwarts, after all.  “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to enjoying my night, like I was before you so rudely interrupted it with your distasteful attitude.”  

“Aye,” Harry shouted over his shoulder as he walked away. “You stick to pretending your dick’s bigger than it is and I’ll stay over here and enjoy some cultured  company.”  

Louis rolled his eyes and decided to grab another drink.  All he could think about for the rest of the night, though, was Harry Styles, and the gentle shocks he sent through Louis’ body.  He went to bed that night and pulled himself off thinking of it.  

_ Harry Styles.  _ Everywhere he went, he swore someone was talking about him.  Two years after the party, and he still couldn’t get that green-eyed boy off of his mind.  Sixth years should be focusing on placement exams and career-tracks, not dawdling over random Slytherin’s they had a single chance-encounter with over 22 months ago.  Yet, here he was on the Hogwarts Express, wondering when he’d catch a glance of Harry again, not concerned about raising his OWL scores or concentrating his classes to fit his career choice of Magizoologist.  He was thinking about how he could possibly find the courage to ask out the most uptight, pretentious, strutting, handsome, devilish, alluring… He was getting off track.  

Louis was the bravest Gryffindor since Harry Potter himself, and he had one fear left to conquer at Hogwarts.  He had run into the girls’ showers during a drunken game of  _ Truth or Dare _ , stolen the silver serpent from Slytherin common room and let some Hufflepuffs (of course, a Weasley or two was in on it) use his hair for polyjuice potion to create the largest flash-mob in Hogwarts history, but he was still scared of rejection from one Harry Styles.  

However, he had decided it.  This would be the year.  His sixth at Hogwarts, would be the year he made Harry Styles fall as madly in love with him as Louis had been for the last two years.  

*

Things started out rough.  Louis’ alarm didn’t go off the day he was leaving, making him nearly late and scrambling to get to King’s Cross in time to catch the train.  He bent his wand out of shape a little when he tripped over a first year and his ferret, and the poor bloke lost his hat on the tracks as the train took off.  After all the bumps and bruises of the morning, Louis was glad to be back on his way to Hogwarts, where he felt most at home.  Friends crowded around his cabin almost immediately and asked what adventures he had been on during the summer.  God knew Louis Tomlinson couldn’t go three days without doing something crazy to entertain him.  

“Well,” he started, fifth and sixth-year eyes wide at him, “I spent  _ this  _ summer backpacking the Himalayan mountains.  It took me three months to get from the beginning to the end.  Of course, I took my time.  I explored the villages and met the locals and they taught me about their culture. “  He told it in the most  _ Gryffindor  _ way possible, inflating the details, yelling and being theatrical.  He barely noticed as the train pulled up and came to a slow stop.  Louis and his friends bounded off the express, wrestling and poking fun when they rolled into a group of Slytherins in front of them.  

“Whoa!” someone screamed.  Louis and several other Hogwarts students landed hard on the ground in the commotion.  He hopped up promptly and extended his hand to a nameless boy on ground.

“I’m really sorry about that, mate.  You know how it gets taken too far sometimes,” he said.  The young Slytherin smiled at him.

“It’s really nothing.  Sometimes I wish my friends chummed around like that.  I’m Alec Longbottom, nice to meet you.”

Louis blinked a couple of times.  “You’re Professor Longbottom’s son, yeah?” The freckle-faced lad nodded furiously.  “Bloody hell. How did you get sorted into Slytherin?  I mean, nothing against you mate, but it’s just a little surprising is all, considering your dad was a Gryffindor and your ma’s  _ definitely  _ a Hufflepuff…”

“I know,” he replied, throwing up his hands.  “It confuses the hell outta me too. I’m thinking it’s just cause…” He was cut off by the sharp voice of an upperclassmen.

“I should have known this was you,” Harry Styles hissed.  “The lot of you  _ Gryffindor  _ always acting like fools.  Have some respect.”

Louis cocked an eyebrow.  He contemplated yelling, but figured that wasn’t going to be conducive towards his end goal with Harry.  

“Don’t you ever have any fun?” Louis asked.

“I have plenty of fun.   _ Civilized  _ fun, unlike you, but fun.”  Louis grinned at Harry’s response.

“Well, maybe you should try living like a caveman for a bit!” He yelled as he ran past Harry and pushed him down into a bit of mud.  Alec followed after Louis, giggling.  

*

Harry wanted to fume.  He wanted to be angry.  He wanted to storm up to the castle and give Louis a piece of his mind.  He wanted to, but he couldn’t, because he was still sitting in that puddle, left in shock at the fact that a smile was spreading across his face.

 

He’d never heard Alec Longbottom, a second year who was just as unlucky as his father, laugh so hard the entire time he’d known him.

  
Even the most heartless of them would break at that, he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

The first day of classes started out like any other would.  It was relatively cool for late-summer, but still nice enough that there were several students milling about the open corridors and the courtyards.  Louis, hanging about the quad, spotted Niall across the green and ran over to meet him.  He tackled the flaxen Ravenclaw, hoping to surprise him.  Niall yelped in shock as his face made contact with the grass.  

“LOUIS!  What are you doing?” He asked, seeming a little panicked.

“Oh, Niall, don’t pretend like this is something new.”  He extended his hand to him.  Niall took it, standing up and dusting off his robes.  He had started wearing glasses over the summer, and Louis thought they suited his face quite well.  “Listen, I need your help with something, Brains.”

Niall sighed. “What are you going to get me into  _ now _ ?” 

“Walk with me,” Louis commanded. They started down the corridor towards the Great Hall.  “So, I’ve decided what great fear to conquer this year.”  

“Oh no,” Niall groaned.  “You’re not going to be battling a dragon or anything bonkers, are you?  Why do I even ask?  Knowing you, it’s going to be completely mad.”  He shook his head and let out an annoyed huff.  “Get on with it then.”

Louis patted Niall firmly on the shoulder.  “I’m going to get Harry Styles to fall in love with me,” he said, forcing it out of his mouth.  Niall stopped walking and looked at Louis with wide eyes. 

“Oh, Lou, don’t.”

“Not as bad as a dragon, is it?” He asked sarcastically.

“Louis, Harry Styles  _ is  _ a dragon.  You know, in his way.  You’re likely to get burned to a crisp going after him!”  Niall’s voice cracked a little.

Louis shook his head. “It’s the one unresolved fear I have left.  I mean, what could I possibly try to pull off this year that I haven’t already done?”

“There are plenty of things you could do and succeed at!  Tame a lion, or steal all of Professor Malfoy’s polyjuice and spike the professors’ goblets with it at Feast!  Do something you know you can pull off!  Stick to your league, Louis,” Niall exclaimed.

“That’s exactly the problem, Niall.  If I wanted to stick to my league, I wouldn’t be a Gryffindor.  It’s not being brave if the thing you’re doing doesn’t scare you,” Louis sighed in response.  “I can’t think of anything that scares me more than going after Hogwarts’ most eligible bachelor, who happens to slightly despise me and everything I stand for.”  

“I assume you’re telling me this because you want my help, right?” Niall posed.  

“Wow, your Ravenclaw intuition is simply awe-inducing,” Louis responded sarcastically.  Niall playfully shoved his counterpart.  “I’m the brave one.  You’re the charmer, mate.”  It was true; they were both pretty popular amongst the young witches and wizards of Hogwarts, but Niall seemed to always be swarmed with admirers. It never really bothered Louis, and he knew he could use the help now.

“I mean, if this is something you’ve made your mind up about, I know there’s no point in trying to convince you otherwise.  You’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.  I know some things that might help.” Louis sighed in relief at his friend’s words.  “Meet me outside the Ravenclaw common room after dinner.”

Louis, happy that Niall was willing to help out, headed off to Herbology, then Care for Magical Creatures, and finally quidditch practice.   When the Gryffindor team got to the field, they found the Slytherin team sitting in a circle in the middle of the green.

Louis and the team captain, Douglas Wood, looked at each other knowingly.  Slytherin house was always trying to sabotage Gryffindor.  Professor Malfoy, instructor of potions and hater of Gryffindor, was the Head of Slytherin, so they were never punished unless the matter got taken to Headmistress McGonagall.  Most of the time, though, they were just causing minor annoyances and headaches.  This was one of those times.  Louis and Douglas approached the team.

“Are ya havin’ a nice powwow there, Cap’n Styles?” Douglas asked in his brash, Irish accent.  

“It’s going perfectly fine, Wood.  Thanks for asking,” Harry replied in a smug tone.

“Alright, well I’m gonna have to ask you to move it along then,” Douglas encouraged.  “We’ve got the field reserved for tryouts today and we needn’t be roughin’ you fellas up before we’re in season.”  He was being perfectly diplomatic, yet Harry didn’t seem eager to leave.

“Professor Malfoy allowed us to take the field for the day so we could practice our astral projection,” Harry responded. “You’ll just have to reschedule your try-outs, Wood. I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do.”  

Louis was steaming. “You know, Harry Styles, there is something you could do.  You could get off your ass and walk out of here, and take your groupies with you.  There’s enough dirt on the field without you here,” he snapped.  He put his hand over his mouth as soon as he realized what he had just said.  Harry sat there on the ground, eyes wide at what the Gryffindor had just said to him.  It wasn’t that he was angry; he was just shocked.

“You know, Louis Tomlinson,” Harry started as he stood up and dusted off his trousers, “We’re more alike than you think.”  He winked at Louis and turned to the circle of green-donned students on the ground.  “Let’s go then.” They all hurried up and rushed off the field behind their seemingly fearless leader.  Louis saw Harry glance back at him, smirking.   _ If you can’t beat ‘em,  _ Louis thought.  Maybe he needed to be mean to get Harry to notice him.

*

After quidditch practice, Louis showered at the fieldhouse and headed back towards the castle.  He got all the way to the outer courtyard before someone stopped him.  

“Your banter has improved, Gryffindor.” Louis turned around to see Harry Styles leaning against one of the columns. “I might not be so embarrassed to be seen with you if you keep on like that.” 

Louis sighed at the Slytherin. “Look, I’m usually not so mean.  I’m sorry.  I just let my top boil over is all,” he said.  As much as he wanted to be rude to Harry for no reason, he just couldn’t.  It wasn’t who he was.  

“No worries, I was just impressed to see the world’s bravest Gryffindor really does have a spine after all.” He stuck out his hand to Louis.  “We’ve never properly introduced ourselves to each other.  I’m Harry.”

“Louis,” he replied.  “But trust me, I know who you are.  Introduction not required,” he said lightly.  

“The same could be said for you, the  _ golden Gryffindor, _ ” Harry countered somewhat sarcastically. “You’ve got my attention.  We’re having a party this Saturday at the pub in Hogsmeade.  I think it’d be worth your while to come.”  He pushed himself off the wall with his foot and casually walked off. 

*

Louis was on fire.  His insides were melting.  He ran straight to the Ravenclaw common room, bursting to tell Niall. He ran into the blonded boy outside of the doorway.  

“Fuck, let me in Nialler.  I’m no good at these riddles and I’ve got shit to tell you.”  Niall answered the riddle and they headed inside.  

“What is so important that you’re just seeping with excitement to tell me?” Niall posed.

“Harry.  Styles.  Invited.  Me. To a HOGSMEADE KEGGER.”  Niall’s jaw dropped.

“No.” 

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Dead serious,” Louis nodded proudly.  “I’m in.  Now I need to figure out how to get in  _ him.”  _


	3. Chapter 3

Louis felt himself sweating as he walked through the crisp night towards Hogsmeade with Niall.  He was jittery - they had had a couple drinks before even heading over to avoid that, but Louis still shook like the Whomping Willow.  

Niall looked at him up and down, inspecting his outfit, his shoes, his hair, making sure he’d made his best friend look spectacular.  Louis wore a plain black t-shirt and a pair of fashionably ripped skinny jeans, and his hair was styled across  his forehead, coming to a feathery peak on the right.  They had done well.  Niall had grown confident that Louis could pull this off.  

Louis, on the other hand, was internally writhing.  He wasn’t sure if the night would end in bliss or disaster.  There was only one way to find out.  He took in a deep breath before opening the door of the bar and stepping into the chaos.  

The air smelled like beer and perfume, and there were way too many people there for Louis to be comfortable.

On the other side of the room, Harry was playing it cool.  He saw Louis walk in, but didn’t want to seem too eager.  After all, he too had a reputation as cold badass to hold up. He thought back to that day, in the common room when all of this had started.

*

“I saw you mooning over Louis Tomlinson, covered in mud and shit,” Ignatius Goyle sneered at Harry as he walked into the common room, still drying his hair from the shower. 

“Oh, fuck off, Ignatius.  Everyone knows you have it bad for Percy Weasley’s Gryffindor of a daughter.”

“You wouldn’t have a chance with him anyway, even if you wanted one.” 

“Well, I don’t,” Harry replied, “so it doesn’t matter anyway, but you’re wrong.  I could have him wrapped around my finger in fifteen minutes.”

“Well then,” Ignatius said, “do it.  Get him wrapped up in you. If you can have him hanging by a string by Winter holiday, I’ll take your OWLs.”

Harry laughed at his proposal. “You’re not smart enough to take your own.  Letting you take my OWLs would be punishment, not reward.”

Ignatius huffed. “Okay. I’ll give you my season pass to Ireland quidditch this summer.”

Harry smirked. “Deal,” he affirmed and stuck out his hand.  They shook on it.

*

Now Harry was worried he was getting in over his head.  After what happened on the quidditch field earlier that week, he wasn’t so sure he wasn’t having feelings for Louis - at least in a physical sort of way.  Louis had grown up a lot in the two years since they first met; he’d filled out nicely and had a fantastic figure.  Of course, that was mostly what Harry was worried about.  He didn’t really get into long-term things often.  Most of his romantic encounters were one-night entertainment.  He liked a boy who was in charge of himself; he wasn’t one to take home a doormat, and Louis definitely wasn’t a doormat.

Louis spotted Harry across the room, looking engrossed in thought, empty cup in his hand.

“Okay, Niall, what do I do?” He turned to his best friend, eyes wide and searching for answers.

Niall laughed and patted Louis on the back. “Go get him a fucking drink.”

Louis started to head across the room, and looked back at Niall for affirmation.  The Ravenclaw pushed up his glasses and gave a firm nod, a cheesy grin pushing the sides of his mouth.  Louis squeezed his way through the crowd to the bar and ordered a couple of Steaming Stouts.  He pushed his way back into the crowd and came out on the wall of the bar behind Harry.  He pressed the cold bottle on Harry’s shoulder, causing him to jump and turn around.

“Here, I got you something,” he said.

“Wow,” Harry nipped sarcastically.  “A man that brings me liquor before I ask.  I think we’ve got a good thing going.” Louis smiled at Harry.

“Ready to take me home yet?” Louis posed jokingly.  Harry swatted him playfully in the bicep.

“Buy me dinner first,” Harry responded.  “I, unlike you, am a Slytherin, and a true gentleman.” Louis cracked up. “What?” Harry asked.

“That’s bloody bullshit and you know it Harry Styles.”

Harry shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right.  Let’s go dance.”

They spent the night very close to each other on the dance floor of the creaky bar.  After a while of dancing, Louis decided he better check in with Niall.  He waded over  to the bathrooms where Niall was standing.  

“Looks like it’s going well,” Niall said to him, cracking a smirk.

“Yeah, real well.  What about you?” He asks. “I don’t see any cute Hufflepuffs tripping over their feet to go home with you.”

“Oi, there is one, as a matter of fact,” he sneers playfully. “She’s in the bathroom powdering her nose, and then we’ll be off to her room at the inn.”  Niall beamed proudly.

“Okay, well good luck with her, then, I guess,” Louis said, high-fiving his friend.  He turned away and headed back to the table where Harry was sitting.

“You wanna get out of here?” Harry asked, smirking up at Louis.  Louis nodded and took Harry’s hand.  “I have a room at the inn a couple of blocks way,” He whispered into Louis’ neck as he stood up.  

Louis felt electricity dash up his spine.  He nodded eagerly and followed Harry out of the bar.

“You’re not afraid you’ll get caught out after curfew?” Louis asked timidly as they walked down the empty streets of Hogsmeade.

“Fuck no.  As long as you don’t come back, they never know you weren’t in bed to begin with,” Harry answered.  “You’re such a Gryffindor.  Always standing up for the law and whatnot.”

“I’ve broken the rules plenty of times,” Louis countered matter-of-factly.  “Don’t you remember the great Hufflepuff flashmob of 2013?  Or the countless times we were in detention together after I’d run into the girls lavatory?”

“We had detention together?” Harry asked, seeming surprised.  

“Yeah, Harry.  Four times in the last two years.”

“Oh.” He said.  A couple of minutes passed before he broke the silence again. “I’m sorry I never noticed.”

Louis laughed nervously. “It’s okay.  I don’t expect a fit, popular guy like you to have an eye for someone pretty different from them.” 

“You’re not so different from me though, are you?” Harry pondered.

“I guess not,” Louis replied quietly.  They opened the door to the inn and Harry led Louis to their room in silence.  

The room was nice - not in an elegant way, but in a cozy way that made Louis want to curl up in bed and never leave.  He dropped backwards on the queen bed and stared up at the vaulted ceiling above him.  He felt Harry lay down beside him.

“Got something on your mind?” He asks.  

“Not particularly,” Louis replies.

“So you won’t stop me if I do this?” He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned down, touching his lips to Louis’.  Louis craned his neck to push his mouth against Harry’s, tangling his fingers in the taller boy’s tawny curls.  Harry pushed the pace of the encounter, rolling on top of Louis and pulling himself closer.  He pulled Louis shirt up and unlocked their lips to pull it over his head and off.  Louis rushed to unbutton  Harry’s shirt, yanked it off, and threw it on the ground.  He wrapped his legs around Harry’s waist and pushed him over so that he was now laying on top of him.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Assertive much?”  

“I get a feeling you like it,” Louis replied, motioning to the obvious tell beneath him.

“I never said I didn’t.”  He pulled Louis back down and kissed him hard, one hand on his neck and the other toying at the hem of his jeans.

Louis kept the pace, unbuttoning Harry’s pants hastily, and then his own.  They squirmed out of their pants until the only thing separating them was Louis’ boxers - Harry wasn’t wearing any.  Louis looked at  him in surprise.  

“I wear my pants too tight for them anyway,” Harry told him, somehow reading his mind.  He looked down in curiosity and smiled.

“Well, I can see why,” Louis said back, snarkily.  

*

The sun peeked between the blinds and right into Louis’ eyes.  He moaned as he stretched and rolled over, reaching for Harry. He felt empty space beside him, and propped himself up on his elbows to look around the room.  Harry, along with his clothes, was gone.  The only trace of him left was a note scrawled on faded stationery.

 

_ I’ll catch up with you later.  Quidditch tryouts.  _

_ -H  _

He didn’t know whether to be optimistic or doubtful. 


	4. Chapter 4

A week or so passed and Louis still hadn’t heard from Harry.  He sent him a couple notes by owl, but no response.  He was hanging out in the Ravenclaw common room with Niall, trying to think of a plan.

“Fuck, Ni, what do I do?”  Louis sighed, running his hands through his hair. 

“Are you asking me what a Ravenclaw would do, or what a Gryffindor would do?  Because there are two separate answers.”

“I don’t know,” he said sadly.  “What would you do?”

Niall put the book he was reading down. “What would I do?  Honestly, I would scout out a Slytherin.  Not a shitty one, but one you know you can trust and will be honest in helping you.  I’d ask them to get intel.  I’d put them up to asking Harry about you and see what’s going on.” 

“What should I do?” Louis posed and dropped his head into his hands.

“You?  A Gryffindor? Not just any Gryffindor,  _ Louis Tomlinson, the greatest Gryffindor since Harry Potter? _ ” Louis looked up.  “March down to Slytherin Dungeon and ask him what the fuck he’s doing.”

*

Louis stormed down to the dungeon and banged on the door of the dungeon, waiting for someone to let him in.  He was more scared than mad, but Louis was a little small for his age, and according to his Magizoology classes,  it’s always a good philosophy to puff up and look angry when you’re feeling vulnerable, like a lizard or a puffer fish.

Ignatius Goyle opened the door.

“What is all this bloody pounding about?” He said loudly.  Louis pushed past the large boy into the common room. 

“I need to see Harry,” he demanded.  “Harry Styles.”

Ignatius laughed. “What the hell for? To ask him to marry you?” he teased.

“Listen, half-wit,” Louis said, squaring up to Ignatius’ ogreish figure, “I’m not here to talk to you.  Harry.  Tell him to get out here.”

“Why don’t you go in there yourself?” Ignatius countered. “He’s hanging out in the dormitory.  Go embarrass yourself in front of half the house, please,” Ignatius snapped as he motioned toward the boys’ dormitory entrance at the top of the short flight of stairs.  Louis brazenly stomped up the stairs and into the dormitories, finding Harry playing cards on a trunk with Alec. 

“What the fuck, Harry Styles?  No call, no letter, no ‘catching up?’  I don’t mind to be a one-night stand if you  _ fucking  _ tell me that’s what it is.  If you say you’re going to call, fucking call, mate!”  He pushed over the trunk, scattering cards all over the floor.  Alec and Harry stared up at him in shock.  “Sorry, Alec,” Louis muttered, realizing he had just ruined his game.

“It’s n-no problem,” he responded shyly.  He turned to Harry. “Why would you do that, Harry?” Alec seemed genuinely confused by his counterpart’s behavior.

“Listen,” Harry started.  “It’s nothing personal, really.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Alec retorted. “You’ve been gushing to me for  _ weeks  _ about Loui-”

“Alec, shut up or I’ll hang you from the chandelier,” Harry growled.

Louis raised his eyebrows. “Oh, has he? Then why  _ the fuck didn’t you write me back?” _

“Because I only did it on a bet,” Harry answered, crossing his arms and avoiding eye contact.

Louis felt tears pushing out.  He blinked them back and sighed. “Oh.” 

“It didn’t seem like it was only a bet to me,” Alec butted in. 

“It was.  Ignatius Goyle offered me tickets to all the Ireland Q games if I could get Louis wrapped up in me.”

Louis looked at Harry, stunned. “Are you  _ fucking  _ thick?  I was wrapped up in you before that, half-wit.  The entire  _ fucking  _ sixth year class is wrapped up in you.   _ HOGWARTS  _ is wrapped up in you.  You didn’t have to sleep with me to get me to like you.  I already did.  You’re so fucking dumb, Harry.” 

“He’s not dumb,” Alec said.  “I know he liked you.  He wouldn’t talk to me about it if he was only putting on a show for Ignatius.”

“Alec, would you  _ please  _ butt out,” Harry begged.  Alec looked at him with a little hurt in his eyes. Harry realized what he had done and immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.  I’m really frustrated.”  Alec nodded in response, still quiet.  “Louis, let’s talk about this later,” he said, his voice breaking and a tear forcing its way down his cheek. “You’re not even supposed to be in here.  The last Gryffindor that was in here was Harry Potter.”  Louis nodded curtly and left Harry with Alec in the dungeon.

*

Alec waited for the door to shut behind Louis before speaking. “Do you like him or are you leading him on?” He pressed.

Harry started crying.  Alec had never seen him upset before; Harry projected an image of strength at all times.  This was a new side of Harry.  Alec sat down beside Harry on the trunk he was seated on.  He patted him on the leg, trying to console him but not really knowing how.

“Do you like him?” Alec asked again, quietly.

“I think so,” Harry replied.  “I’ve never really done the whole ‘dating’ thing before, Alec.  I’m probably pretty bad at it,” he sighed.

“I’m sure Louis won’t mind,” Alec said gently, smiling.

Harry propped his forehead up on the palm of his had, his elbow digging into the meat of his thigh.  He pushed his hair back out of his face and looked at Alec.

“Who would have thought things would end up like this?” Harry asked, looking at the younger boy. 

“Like what?”

“Harry Styles, Slytherin extraordinaire, asking Alec Longbottom, second year son of a Gryffindor, for advice, and taking it?”

*

Louis was sitting in the courtyard, wondering how the hell his plan went so wrong.  He’d won the Hogwarts Quidditch Championship, gotten out of an expulsion for assisting a Weasley in the destruction of a cupboard full of textbooks, and outwitted Draco Malfoy, but he couldn’t get a boy to like him.  Sometimes the stuff he thought would be easiest for him came the hardest.  He sighed and dropped his head into his lap.  He heard a couple of students shouting behind him and craned over his shoulder to see what was going on.

Harry, all legs, was bounding down the corridor, knocking over first years and annoying sixth years, not bothering to say sorry.  Louis shook his head at the gangly mass of limbs speeding through the open hall.

“Watch where you’re going, Slytherin!” He shouted half-heartedly.  Harry spun around and changed directions, hopping over the bench Louis’ back was propped against and sitting down.

“Hi,” he said, out of breath.  

“Hi,” Louis giggled back.  Harry sank to the ground where Louis was sitting and leveled with him.

“Listen,” the taller boy said, “I thought about it.”

Louis braced for the worst. “And?”

“And I’m sorry.  And I like you.”

“Oh,” Louis breathed.

Harry blinked. “You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

“No, I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Well, I didn’t either, but I took some really good advice.”  he looked across the courtyard to see Alec giving him a thumbs-up. “Second years are really goofy.”

Louis smiled. “Yeah, they are, but they’re smarter than we give them credit for.”  Harry snaked his big hand into Louis’ smaller one and scooted closer.

*Epilogue*

“Louis!” The Fat Lady screamed. “You have to quit giving the password out to non-house members! I’m getting tired of opening the door for Slytherin trash!”

Louis heard two pairs of shoes stomping up the dormitory stairs. 

“Oh, cool it,” he yelled back at the paintstroke woman. Harry and Alec entered the dormitory where Louis was packing his trunk.

“We’re taking the boats back over in an hour and you’re not done packing?  Get on it!” Harry said.  Alec, a foot taller than he was the year before, hugged Harry and then Louis.

“I’ve got to go catch the train, but I’m so happy for you guys,” He said, smiling.  “Go get ‘em.  And make sure you come visit me.”

The older boys nodded at him and he walked down the stairs and out of Gryffindor Tower.  

Harry started folding up Louis’ clothes and stuffing them in the trunk.  “I can’t believe you haven’t finished packing.  That’s so…  _ Gryffindor  _ of you.”

Louis laughed at his boyfriend.  “Shut up. I’ll just be unpacking again at the house this evening.  Just shove it in there,” he said, dumping his stuff on top of Harry’s nice, neat pack job.  

“Look what you did!” Harry whined, pushing Louis down on the dormitory bed.  Louis grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him down as his back hit the mattress.  Harry landed on top of him, laughing lightly.  

“You wanna?” Harry asked, cocking his head. 

“Harry, we’re in the middle of the dormitory.”

“No one’s here,” he replied.  

“Fine,” Louis sighed. “It would be against my  Gryffindor code not to.”

*

Louis and Harry watched the castle disappear in the distance as they rode across the Black Lake on the boats that once brought them to Hogwarts, before they were Gryffindor and Slytherin, before the sorting hat.  Louis folded his hand into Harry’s.  

“I start at the Center for Magical Creatures London Monday,” Louis said.

Harry nodded. “I start at the Ministry Monday,” Harry responded. 

“Things are good,” Louis said contently.

“I agree,” Harry said.  The boats pulled up to the docks and the graduates disembarked, walking along the muddy path.  Harry, a few steps behind Louis, grinned and shoved Louis once, real hard, pushing him face first into a puddle of mud.

“Hey!” He shouted, wiping mud from his eyes.  

“That’s payback for two years ago!” Harry screamed and ran off.

God damn it, he loved that boy.


End file.
